BIG

We'll call it the WalMart epiphany.

I've spent the last few days freaking out over my budget.  I don't have enough to get me through the summer.  I'm not sure what I'm doing about it yet, but that's a different story.  I am trying to be incredibly frugal with my grocery budget, and this led to my visit to Corporate America's favourite BIG box store.

Standing in line with my 8 items (carefully selected to keep costs to a minimum), I took note of everything around me.  I teach business and I'm fully aware of things like product placement in a store register line-up.  In the past, I would toy with the thought of selecting a magazine, or picking up a little treat.  With a small budget, however, there is no room for the newest edition of Chatelaine.  Instead, tonight the light bulb went on and I realized how foolish and fake it all is.

Our society thrives on BIG and MORE.  There are numerous phrases in our culture that emphasize that the bigger the size, the better the prize.  Sayings like, "Living Large" or "Bigger is Better" are commonly heard...especially in marketing.  It's even in our childhood, with events like having to wait until you're bigger to ride an exciting ride (though for safety's sake...that one makes sense).

Over the past few weeks, I've been exploring my past purchases, and it astounded me how much I spent on groceries or food.  I am not pleased to say that I threw out food that passed its expiry date because I bought too much.  I had some ridiculous need to fill my fridge, and in turn, myself.  I felt this overwhelming need to consume what I made, money/food...it made no difference.  This behaviour has done its damage.  Itty bitty wallet...not so itty bitty body.

Consumers...have you ever stopped and thought about that term?  It's something that big companies want you to keep being.  They don't stop to think about your bottom line...or your waist line for that matter.  It's their bottom line they want to see increasing in size.  They want you to lust over that big, expensive & gas consuming SUV with its fancy gadgets.  They want you to envy your friend's large home and all the things they fill it with.  They hope you'll crave their newest flavour in ice cream or stop to pick up that chocolate bar singing your name at the cash register.  One of their main objectives is that they want to influence, if not control your spending.

My friends and family will likely agree that I'm someone who likes having control.  Heck, I have a hard time giving it up for someone I love, much less a number of people in suits that I've never met.  But that's what I've done; I've voluntarily become Pinocchio and I have blindly obeyed slick suggestions that I need to consume more and buy more.

 I'm not saying anyone should cut out ice cream altogether, or swear off big vehicles if they have a family to taxi around.  What it comes down to is that instead of being a consumer, I'm going to be an investor.  I'm going to make conscious decisions about who gets to have my money and the focus will be on needs...not wants.  Less is not something to fear.  After all, it can mean less debt, less stress, less worry, and less weight (literally and figuratively).

Hmmm...I wonder where I put my scissors?  It's time to cut the strings.